At what point does making more money compensate for how shitty your job is? - Nubblies.net Forums

SinisterKid · 03-06-2011, 08:09 AM

Lately, I've been thinking a lot about job satisfaction, compensation, and at what point one might effectively perpetuate their career - despite either hating it, not being satisfied with it, or realizing it's not what they want to do - because they're being compensated well. There seems to be quite a bit of occupational diversity on nubblies: English teachers, poker players, lawyers, traders, etc. How would you all answer the questions:

"How much money is too much money to give up even if you're not happy with what you do?"

"How shitty does your job have to be to cut your monetary gains and move on?"

thekremlin · 03-06-2011, 09:58 AM

How old you are has to be taken into account.

Ugly Bastard · 03-06-2011, 10:56 AM

Those are very subjective questions, SK. For me, I'd say I couldn't do something I truly loathe unless I knew I was making enough money doing it that within 5-7 years I could quit and have enough saved up to psuedo-retire on. There aren't many situations out there like that (FC may be in one), so it's rather impractical. Basically I'd much rather make $60k working 30-50 hours a week doing something I like than $100k working 80-90 hours of hell each week. There's a lot more that goes in to making people happy than money.

SinisterKid · 03-06-2011, 11:14 AM

Very subjective questions, I agree. I guess my thought process on the matter is there has to be a tipping point where compensation is too good to pass up, no matter how much you dislike what you're doing. I'm saying this with the understanding that the importance of money is subjective, and that it is generally agreed upon that doing what you like, or being happy and making less, is a better trade off than than being miserable or limited and making more.

Kremlin, for this discussion, let's assume we're talking about being relatively young, mid 20s to mid 30s.

DJ FC · 03-06-2011, 11:15 AM

I don't think I'd ever do a job I hated unless the pay was obscene. For example, I would not work as a janitor for $1mm per year. I would probably require 2.5 or more. For me, your job is a major part of your life, and it should suit you.

DDTempest · 03-06-2011, 11:46 AM

I'm on the different end of the perspective as UB and FC ... I think it would be nice to really enjoy your work every day but for each person that is pretty subjective. I look at work as a way to fund my free time, would I do what I do now for less money? No. Does it cover most of my financial needs / wants / obligations? Yes.

Its what you do with your time outside of work that's going to comprise your photo albums and memories at the end of your life, if your job allows you to do what you want on your time ... thats something to consider.

SinisterKid · 03-06-2011, 03:59 PM

I can identify with the DDT's philosophy.

FC, how much money would it take for you to work in Afghanistan for 9 months a year? In any capacity.

DJ FC · 03-06-2011, 05:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DDTempest

Its what you do with your time outside of work that's going to comprise your photo albums and memories at the end of your life, if your job allows you to do what you want on your time ... thats something to consider.

I don't think that's true. I'd like to believe that the greatest people worked and created value because it was their passion. I don't think I'm one of those people by a long shot, but I do believe if I ever view work as merely a means to fund the rest of my life I will be miserable. Some people truly find joy in their careers and create for the sake of creation.

DJ FC · 03-06-2011, 05:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SinisterKid

I can identify with the DDT's philosophy.

FC, how much money would it take for you to work in Afghanistan for 9 months a year? In any capacity.

It depends on the work more than the geography. If I got to trade in Afghanistan in a major capacity and made the Afghan (and other regional) markets more efficient while making myself a pretty penny I'd highly consider it. If I got to be the US ambassador to Afghanistan I'd do that in a heartbeat.

SinisterKid · 03-06-2011, 05:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DJ FC

It depends on the work more than the geography. If I got to trade in Afghanistan in a major capacity and made the Afghan (and other regional) markets more efficient while making myself a pretty penny I'd highly consider it. If I got to be the US ambassador to Afghanistan I'd do that in a heartbeat.

Work and geography still don't account for the external factors that contribute to your quality of life. I'm assuming you would want to trade in Afghanistan - or any other country - to make the Afghan markets more efficient, as well as maintain a reasonably normal lifestyle. If you were given the opportunity to trade in Afghanistan (example), and were able to facilitate positive change, but had no social life and limited entertainment outlets, would you still have the same sentiment?

angry pancake · 03-06-2011, 05:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DJ FC

I don't think I'd ever do a job I hated unless the pay was obscene. For example, I would not work as a janitor for $1mm per year. I would probably require 2.5 or more. For me, your job is a major part of your life, and it should suit you.

I'm calling bullshit on this. I'd happily be a janitor for a million per yer. And so would everybody here. It's a mindless job that requires absolutely no effort whatsoever. A million bucks is still a fuckload of money. The last few times I've been told that a million "wasn't a lot" were all by people who didn't have a million.

angry pancake · 03-06-2011, 05:55 PM

Oh yeah, I hate my job and I've walked away from it a few times. But I always comeback. As much as I hate it, I always come back. I'll probably die at my desk.

DDTempest · 03-06-2011, 07:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DJ FC

I'd like to believe that the greatest people worked and created value because it was their passion ... Some people truly find joy in their careers and create for the sake of creation.

Definitely. But I'm personally not really passionate about anything. At all ... I'm generally an indifferent motherfucker. I would love to do a job that I am passionate about and if I found that, I would do it passionately ... until then I work to fuel my interests and provide myself a stable base.

SinisterKid · 03-06-2011, 07:31 PM

I'm not a hippy, a hipster, a vegan, a "local-vore," etc. But I came across this article shortly after starting this thread, and I find the subject super interesting as well as pertinent to the discussion. These young people are doing something they're passionate about, and at least some of them gave up "conventional" careers - and assuredly larger incomes - to do so.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/06/us/06farmers.html

03-06-2011, 08:09 AM	#1 (permalink)
SinisterKid Hide your nieces. Join Date: Dec 2010 Posts: 293 Internets: 7656	At what point does making more money compensate for how shitty your job is? Lately, I've been thinking a lot about job satisfaction, compensation, and at what point one might effectively perpetuate their career - despite either hating it, not being satisfied with it, or realizing it's not what they want to do - because they're being compensated well. There seems to be quite a bit of occupational diversity on nubblies: English teachers, poker players, lawyers, traders, etc. How would you all answer the questions: "How much money is too much money to give up even if you're not happy with what you do?" "How shitty does your job have to be to cut your monetary gains and move on?"

03-06-2011, 11:15 AM	#5 (permalink)
DJ FC MURICAN Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Virginia Posts: 5,136 Internets: 253094	I don't think I'd ever do a job I hated unless the pay was obscene. For example, I would not work as a janitor for $1mm per year. I would probably require 2.5 or more. For me, your job is a major part of your life, and it should suit you.
	The basis of our governments being the opinion of the people, the very first object should be to keep that right; and were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers, or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter. But I should mean that every man should receive those papers and be capable of reading them.

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03-06-2011, 09:58 AM	#2 (permalink)
thekremlin Don't call me Shirley Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: London Posts: 3,271 Internets: 220249	How old you are has to be taken into account.

03-06-2011, 10:56 AM	#3 (permalink)
Ugly Bastard Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: U.S.A. Posts: 13,643 Internets: 247330	Those are very subjective questions, SK. For me, I'd say I couldn't do something I truly loathe unless I knew I was making enough money doing it that within 5-7 years I could quit and have enough saved up to psuedo-retire on. There aren't many situations out there like that (FC may be in one), so it's rather impractical. Basically I'd much rather make $60k working 30-50 hours a week doing something I like than $100k working 80-90 hours of hell each week. There's a lot more that goes in to making people happy than money.

03-06-2011, 11:14 AM	#4 (permalink)
SinisterKid Hide your nieces. Join Date: Dec 2010 Posts: 293 Internets: 7656	Very subjective questions, I agree. I guess my thought process on the matter is there has to be a tipping point where compensation is too good to pass up, no matter how much you dislike what you're doing. I'm saying this with the understanding that the importance of money is subjective, and that it is generally agreed upon that doing what you like, or being happy and making less, is a better trade off than than being miserable or limited and making more. Kremlin, for this discussion, let's assume we're talking about being relatively young, mid 20s to mid 30s.

03-06-2011, 03:59 PM	#7 (permalink)
SinisterKid Hide your nieces. Join Date: Dec 2010 Posts: 293 Internets: 7656	I can identify with the DDT's philosophy. FC, how much money would it take for you to work in Afghanistan for 9 months a year? In any capacity.

03-06-2011, 05:55 PM	#12 (permalink)
angry pancake Jelqing for Jesus Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Charlotte's spare bedroom Posts: 3,079 Internets: 194538	Oh yeah, I hate my job and I've walked away from it a few times. But I always comeback. As much as I hate it, I always come back. I'll probably die at my desk.

03-06-2011, 07:31 PM	#14 (permalink)
SinisterKid Hide your nieces. Join Date: Dec 2010 Posts: 293 Internets: 7656	I'm not a hippy, a hipster, a vegan, a "local-vore," etc. But I came across this article shortly after starting this thread, and I find the subject super interesting as well as pertinent to the discussion. These young people are doing something they're passionate about, and at least some of them gave up "conventional" careers - and assuredly larger incomes - to do so. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/06/us/06farmers.html